Wireless communications networks that operate with frequencies at or above a few tens of gigahertz (with corresponding wavelengths of a few millimeters or less) typically have a very short signal range and are therefore used primarily for personal area networks (PANs). When many PANs are located close together, such as in an office environment, interference between adjacent PANs can be a significant problem. Directional communications are frequently used to alleviate this problem, but typical methods of scheduling non-interfering wireless communications (such as the RTS/CTS technique) are not well suited for networks using directional communications. In particular, when a STA requests some channel time with its NC, the NC may not be aware of a repeating interfering signal coming from an adjacent PAN, and may schedule time for the STA that overlaps with that interfering signal. During the period of overlap, it is likely that communications in one PAN will interfere with communications in the other PAN, and possible that both PANs will interfere with each other.